Kevin Trudeau (/truːˈdoʊ/; born 1962 or 1963) is an American author, salesman, television personality, and convicted felon, known for promotion of his books and resulting legal cases involving the US Federal Trade Commission. His late-night nfomercials, which promoted unsubstantiated health, diet, and financial advice, earned him a fortune but resulted in civil and criminal penalties for fraud, larceny, and contempt of court.
In the early 1990s, he was convicted of larceny and credit card fraud. In 2007, he was accused of grossly misrepresenting the contents of his book, The Weight-Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About. In a 2004 settlement, he agreed to pay a $500,000 fine and cease marketing all products except his books, which are protected under the First Amendment. In 2011, he was fined $37.6 million for violating the 2004 settlement, and ordered to post a $2 million bond before engaging in any future infomercial advertising.
In 2013, facing consequences for non-payment of the $37 million judgment, he filed for bankruptcy protection. His claims of insolvency were challenged by FTC lawyers, who maintained that he was hiding money in shell companies, and cited examples of continued lavish spending, such as $359 for a haircut.
In November 2013, he was convicted of criminal contempt, and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in March 2014. The Chicago Tribune reported in April 2014 that infomercials starring Trudeau and promoting his books continued to air regularly on United States television stations even though he was in jail at the time. He left federal custody in 2022 after 8 years, after which the FTC continued to pursue the unpaid $37 million fine.
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